WATCH: Facebook launches a new group watching feature

Image: Facebook Watch Party is a new way to watch videos together in Facebook Groups. Image by Facebook.

CAPE TOWN - Facebook has officially launched a new feature called Watch Party that will let users simultaneously watch Facebook videos together.

How it works:

Users streams will be synced so they can comment and react while the host adds videos to the watch queue and controls playback.

Multiple people can “host” the Watch Party, which gives them the ability to choose videos to add.

Attendees can suggest videos but not actually play them.

Users can try Co-hosting, which lets the host of a Watch Party designate other co-hosts who can add videos and keep the party going.

Crowdsourcing is another added ability in Watch Party, which lets anyone in a Watch Party suggest videos for the host to add to the Watch Party.

Additionally, videos have to be hosted on Facebook itself, although they can be Live or prerecorded.

Facebook first announced the feature as a test in January stating that the goal is to make watching videos a fun, social experience rather than a passive one.

“As we think about video on Facebook, we’re focused on creating experiences that bring people closer together and inspire human connection instead of passive consumption,” said Fidji Simo, vice president of product at Facebook, in a blog post.

"We’ve been encouraged by feedback from groups using Watch Party as we’ve been testing and rolling out. We’ve heard from group leaders that they’re excited to use Watch Party for things like: hosting Q&As around particular hobbies such as cooking or crafting, sharing behind the scenes details of a video, swapping tips and tricks for things like home improvement, decorating, or makeup tutorials with members in real time, learning new things like a workout technique or musical skills, and inviting special guests to join their Watch Party", said the company.